Why do we have to study special education?

Question

Why do we have to study special education?

Answer 1

I am going to assume you are getting a major in general education.  If so, you are going to need the knowledge you learn from your special education classes.  Once you graduate and start teaching, you will more than likely have special education students in your classroom.  Plus, some of the skills you will learn about how to teach special education students can be used whether you are teaching in a special education classroom or a general education classroom.  Many schools are now switching to the inclusion type of special education.  This simply means that students who are able to stay in a general education classroom will stay all day and have a special education teacher come in and help during the day and/or the student will stay in a general education classroom for the instruction part of a lesson and then go to the resource room for help on the assignment.

I am a special education teacher and I strongly feel that the new general education teachers who are just now getting a degree do not have the knowledge they need in order to teach special education students in a classroom.  For example, just this past school year I had several special education students mainstreamed into a new 5th grade teacher's classroom and she kept telling me that she did not have to follow a student's IEP because it meant more work for her.  Well, guess what?  She argued with me throughout the whole school year and also argued with the administration that she knew what she was doing.  She is now looking for a job because she did not know how to handle special education students and did not follow the law.

You should be glad that you are having to study special education because there are several major laws which outline exactly what a teacher must do; such as, different modifications and accommodations, how long the special education student will get help from the school's special education service, what type of services a student will receive, etc.  As a general education teacher, you have to know all of this about a special education student in your classroom.

The special education classes will also help you learn how to identify and refer a student for special education.  Again the law is specific on this process.

Answer 2

Are you a student studying to be a general education teacher?  If so, you will be wishing that you had more special education classes.  Due to "No Child Left Behind", special education students are mainly in the general education classroom as part of inclusion.  You still have to teach those students, even though you may have no idea how.  Trust me, I'm there!

Answer 3

If you are studying education, more than likely it is a requirement. More individuals attending school today have some type of difficulty (i.e. ADHD) and it is important to know the research out in the field.

Answer 4

Regardless of NCLB a general ed teacher WILL have students with special needs.  When I was in college (20 years ago), I would get so 'irked' by all the general ed majors who complained about taking any sped courses.  I can't count how many times I heard them say 'if I wanted to teach sped, I would have majored in sped'.  They had NOT A CLUE what they were talking about.  Every teacher will have sped students in his/her classroom.  That was true before NCLB and it's true now.

Answer 5

1 out of 90 children have some kind of learning difficulty.  It is tough enough to find a sped school let alone a regular school that accepts these children.  It would make the lives of the parents with special kids a whole less trying if more school offers inclusion programs, not to mention shed a bit of ray of hope.  If you're an educator or studying to become one, don't categorize it as special education but simply education.

Answer 6

Because you are special.